Archive for March, 2008

Backgammon – 3 Basic Techniques

[ English ]

In extraordinarily general terms, there are 3 basic techniques employed. You need to be agile enough to switch tactics quickly as the course of the match unfolds.

The Blockade

This comprises of building a 6-thick wall of pieces, or at a minimum as deep as you can manage, to lock in your opponent’s pieces that are located on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable strategy at the begining of the game. You can build the wall anyplace inbetween your 11-point and your two-point and then move it into your home board as the match continues.

The Blitz

This is comprised of locking your home board as quick as possible while keeping your competitor on the bar. For example, if your opponent tosses an early two and moves one piece from your one-point to your 3-point and you then toss a five-five, you can play six/one 6/1 8/3 eight/three. Your opposer is now in serious calamity because they have two pieces on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!

The Backgame

This tactic is where you have two or higher pieces in your opponent’s inner board. (An anchor is a point consisting of at a minimum 2 of your checkers.) It needs to be played when you are significantly behind as it greatly improves your opportunities. The best areas for anchor spots are towards your competitor’s smaller points and either on abutting points or with a single point separating them. Timing is important for an effectual backgame: after all, there is no point having two nice anchor spots and a complete wall in your own inner board if you are then required to dismantle this straight away, while your opposer is getting their checkers home, because you don’t have other additional pieces to shift! In this situation, it’s better to have checkers on the bar so that you might maintain your position up till your competitor provides you a chance to hit, so it can be an excellent idea to attempt and get your opponent to hit them in this case!

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